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Coast Guard Academy Commencement, 5/24/89 [2]
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323150485
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Coast Guard Academy Commencement, 5/24/89 [2]
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13488-004
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
2011-2184-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Draft Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13488
Folder ID Number:
13488-004
Folder Title:
Coast Guard Academy Commencement, 5/24/89 [2]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
26
15
7
4
PRESIDENTIAL
REMARKS: COAST
GUARD ACADEMY
COMMENCEMENT
NEW LONDON,
CONNECTICUT
MAY 24, 1989
THANK YOU,
ADMIRAL.
[ACKNOWLEDGMENTS,
ADMIRAL YOST,
SECRETARY
SKINNER, ALEX
HALEY,
DISTINGUISHED
GUESTS.] I
CONGRATULATE EACH
MEMBER OF THIS
YEAR'S CLASS ON
RECEIVING YOUR
COMMISSION INTO
SUCH A PROUD
SERVICE.
MENTION THE
COAST GUARD, AND
MOST PEOPLE THINK
ABOUT LIVES SAVED
AT SEA, DARING
RESCUE
OPERATIONS.
BUT THOSE DAILY
ACTS OF HEROISM
ARE JUST ONE PART
OF THE VITAL WORK
THE COAST GUARD
PERFORMS.
RIGHT NOW, IN
PRINCE WILLIAM
SOUND, THE COAST
GUARD CONTINUES
TO WORK AROUND
THE CLOCK IN A
MAJOR
ENVIRONMENTAL
CLEAN-UP EFFORT.
RIGHT NOW, OFF
THE FLORIDA
COAST, COAST
GUARD PATROLS ARE
CHASING DOWN DRUG
SMUGGLERS -- AND
KEEPING DRUGS OFF
OUR STREETS.
THAT MAY BE "ALL
IN A DAY'S WORK"
FOR THE COAST
GUARD -- BUT IT'S
ABSOLUTELY VITAL
TO OUR NATIONAL
HEALTH, WELL-
BEING AND
SECURITY.
-2-
I'M SURE ON
THAT LONG FIRST
DAY OF SWAB
SUMMER, YOU NEVER
THOUGHT FOUR
YEARS COULD PASS
SO QUICKLY.
BUT THEY HAVE.
YOU'VE WORKED
HARD, BILLET
NIGHT HAS COME
AND GONE
YOU'RE READY --
"SEMPER PARATUS"
IN THE WORDS OF
YOUR MOTTO --
READY TO ENTER
THE COAST GUARD
SERVICE, AND THE
WORLD.
THE TRUTH IS,
THAT IS WHAT
COMMENCEMENT IS
ALL ABOUT.
THE WORLD IS
YOURS, AND
TODAY'S CEREMONY
IS REALLY PART OF
THE CHANGE OF
COMMAND FROM ONE
GENERATION TO THE
NEXT.
TODAY, OUR
WORLD -- YOUR
WORLD -- IS
CHANGING, EAST
AND WEST.
TODAY I WANT TO
SPEAK TO YOU
ABOUT THE WORLD
WE WANT TO SEE,
AND WHAT WE CAN
DO TO BRING THAT
NEW WORLD INTO
FOCUS.
WE LIVE IN A
TIME WHEN WE ARE
WITNESSING THE
END OF AN IDEA:
THE FINAL CHAPTER
OF THE COMMUNIST
EXPERIMENT.
COMMUNISM IS NOW
RECOGNIZED --
EVEN BY MANY
WITHIN THE
COMMUNIST WORLD
ITSELF -- AS A
FAILED SYSTEM:
ONE THAT PROMISED
ECONOMIC
PROSPERITY BUT
FAILED TO DELIVER
THE GOODS, A
SYSTEM THAT BUILT
A WALL BETWEEN
THE PEOPLE AND
THEIR POLITICAL
ASPIRATIONS.
-3-
BUT THE
ECLIPSE OF
COMMUNISM IS ONLY
ONE HALF OF THE
STORY OF OUR
TIME.
THE OTHER IS THE
ASCENDANCY OF THE
DEMOCRATIC IDEA.
NEVER BEFORE
HAS THE IDEA OF
FREEDOM SO
CAPTURED THE
IMAGINATIONS OF
MEN AND WOMEN THE
WORLD OVER.
NEVER BEFORE HAS
THE HOPE OF
FREEDOM BECKONED
SO MANY.
TRADE UNIONISTS
IN WARSAW.
THE PEOPLE OF
PANAMA.
RULERS CONSULTING
THE RULED IN THE
SOVIET UNION.
AND EVEN AS WE
SPEAK, THE WORLD
IS TRANSFIXED BY
THE DRAMATIC
EVENTS IN
TIANANMEN SQUARE.
EVERYWHERE, THOSE
VOICES ARE
SPEAKING THE
LANGUAGE OF
DEMOCRACY AND
FREEDOM.
WE HEAR THEM; THE
WORLD HEARS THEM;
AND AMERICA WILL
DO ALL IT CAN TO
ENCOURAGE THEM.
SO TODAY, I
WANT TO SPEAK
ABOUT OUR
SECURITY STRATEGY
FOR THE 1990S --
ONE THAT ADVANCES
AMERICAN IDEALS,
AND UPHOLDS
AMERICAN AIMS.
AMIDST THE
MANY CHALLENGES
WE'LL FACE, THERE
WILL BE RISKS.
BUT LET ME ASSURE
YOU: WE'LL FIND
MORE THAN OUR
SHARE OF
OPPORTUNITIES.
WE AND OUR ALLIES
ARE STRONG --
STRONGER THAN AT
ANY POINT IN THE
POST-WAR PERIOD,
AND MORE CAPABLE
THAN EVER OF
SUPPORTING THE
CAUSE OF FREEDOM.
-4-
THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY
BEFORE US TO
SHAPE A NEW
WORLD.
WHAT IS IT
THAT WE WANT TO
SEE? IT'S A
GROWING COMMUNITY
OF DEMOCRACIES
ANCHORING
INTERNATIONAL
PEACE AND
STABILITY, AND A
DYNAMIC FREE
MARKET SYSTEM
GENERATING
PROSPERITY AND
PROGRESS ON A
GLOBAL SCALE.
THE ECONOMIC
FOUNDATION OF
THIS NEW ERA IS
THE PROVEN
SUCCESS OF THE
FREE MARKET --
AND NURTURING
THAT FOUNDATION
ARE THE VALUES
ROOTED IN FREEDOM
AND DEMOCRACY.
AMERICA WAS
FOUNDED ON THESE
VALUES; THEY GIVE
US THE CONFIDENCE
THAT FLOWS FROM
STRENGTH.
SO LET'S BE CLEAR
ABOUT ONE THING:
AMERICA LOOKS
FORWARD TO THE
CHALLENGE OF AN
EMERGING GLOBAL
MARKET.
BUT THESE VALUES
ARE NOT OURS
ALONE; THEY ARE
NOW SHARED BY OUR
FRIENDS AND
ALLIES AROUND THE
GLOBE.
THE ECONOMIC
RISE OF EUROPE
AND THE NATIONS
OF THE PACIFIC
RIM IS THE
CROWNING SUCCESS
OF OUR POST-WAR
POLICY.
-5-
THIS TIME IS
A TIME OF
TREMENDOUS
OPPORTUNITY --
AND DESTINY IS IN
OUR OWN HANDS.
TO REACH THE
WORLD WE WANT TO
SEE, WE'VE GOT
HARD WORK AHEAD
OF US.
0 WE MUST
RESOLVE
INTERNATIONAL
TRADE PROBLEMS
THAT THREATEN TO
PIT FRIENDS AND
ALLIES AGAINST
ONE ANOTHER.
0 WE MUST
COMBAT MISGUIDED
NOTIONS OF
ECONOMIC
NATIONALISM THAT
TELL US TO CLOSE
OFF OUR ECONOMIES
TO FOREIGN
COMPETITION, JUST
WHEN THE GLOBAL
MARKETPLACE HAS
BECOME A FACT OF
LIFE.
0 WE MUST OPEN
THE DOOR TO THE
NATIONS OF
EASTERN EUROPE
AND OTHER
SOCIALIST
COUNTRIES THAT
EMBRACE FREE
MARKET REFORMS.
0 AND FINALLY,
FOR DEVELOPING
NATIONS HEAVILY
BURDENED WITH
DEBT, WE MUST
PROVIDE
ASSISTANCE AND
ENCOURAGE THE
MARKET REFORMS
THAT WILL SET
THOSE NATIONS ON
A PATH TOWARDS
GROWTH.
-6-
IF WE
SUCCEED, THE NEXT
DECADE AND THE
CENTURY BEYOND
WILL BE AN ERA OF
UNPARALLELED
GROWTH -- AN ERA
WHICH SEES THE
FLOURISHING OF
FREEDOM, PEACE
AND PROSPERITY
AROUND THE WORLD.
BUT THIS NEW
ERA CANNOT UNFOLD
IN A CLIMATE
WHERE CONFLICT
AND TORMOIL
EXIST.
THEREFORE, OUR
GOALS MUST ALSO
INCLUDE SECURITY
AND STABILITY:
SECURITY FOR
OURSELVES, OUR
ALLIES AND
FRIENDS;
STABILITY IN THE
INTERNATIONAL
ARENA, AND AN END
TO REGIONAL
CONFLICTS.
SUCH GOALS
ARE CONSTANT, BUT
THE STRATEGY WE
EMPLOY TO REACH
THEM CAN, AND
MUST, CHANGE AS
THE WORLD
CHANGES.
TODAY, THE NEED
FOR A DYNAMIC AND
ADAPTABLE
STRATEGY IS
IMPERATIVE.
WE MUST BE STRONG
-- ECONOMICALLY,
DIPLOMATICALLY,
AND MILITARILY --
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THE
OPPORTUNITIES
OPEN TO US IN A
WORLD OF RAPID
CHANGE.
AND NOWHERE
WILL THE ULTIMATE
CONSEQUENCES OF
CHANGE HAVE MORE
SIGNIFICANCE FOR
WORLD SECURITY
THAN WITHIN THE
SOVIET UNION.
-7-
WHAT WE'RE
SEEING NOW IN THE
USSR IS INDEED
DRAMATIC.
THE PROCESS IS
STILL ONGOING,
UNFINISHED.
BUT MAKE NO
MISTAKE: OUR
POLICY IS TO
SEIZE EVERY, AND
I MEAN EVERY,
OPPORTUNITY TO
BUILD A BETTER,
MORE STABLE
RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE SOVIET
UNION -- JUST AS
IT IS OUR POLICY
TO DEFEND
AMERICAN
INTERESTS IN
LIGHT OF THE
ENDURING REALITY
OF SOVIET
MILITARY POWER.
WE WANT TO
SEE PERESTROIKA
SUCCEED.
WE WANT TO SEE
THE POLICIES OF
GLASNOST AND
PERESTROIKA -- SO
FAR, A REVOLUTION
IMPOSED FROM THE
TOP DOWN --
INSTITUTIONALIZED
WITHIN THE SOVIET
UNION.
AND WE WANT TO
SEE PERESTROIKA
EXTENDED AS WELL.
WE WANT TO SEE A
SOVIET UNION THAT
RESTRUCTURES ITS
RELATIONSHIP
TOWARD THE REST
OF THE WORLD
A SOVIET UNION
THAT IS A FORCE
FOR CONSTRUCTIVE
SOLUTIONS TO THE
WORLD'S PROBLEMS.
-8-
THE GRAND
STRATEGY OF THE
WEST DURING THE
POST-WAR PERIOD
HAS BEEN BASED ON
THE CONCEPT OF
CONTAINMENT:
CHECKING THE
SOVIET UNION'S
EXPANSIONIST
AIMS, IN THE HOPE
THAT THE SOVIET
SYSTEM ITSELF
WOULD ONE DAY BE
FORCED TO
CONFRONT ITS
INTERNAL
CONTRADICTIONS.
THE FERMENT IN
THE SOVIET UNION
TODAY AFFIRMS THE
WISDOM OF THIS
STRATEGY.
NOW WE HAVE A
PRECIOUS
OPPORTUNITY TO
MOVE BEYOND
CONTAINMENT.
OUR GOAL --
INTEGRATING THE
SOVIET UNION INTO
THE COMMUNITY OF
NATIONS -- IS
EVERY BIT AS
AMBITIOUS AS
CONTAINMENT WAS
IN ITS TIME.
AND IT HOLDS
TREMENDOUS
PROMISE FOR
INTERNATIONAL
STABILITY.
COPING WITH A
CHANGING SOVIET
UNION WILL BE A
CHALLENGE OF THE
HIGHEST ORDER.
BUT THE SECURITY
CHALLENGES WE
FACE TODAY DO NOT
COME FROM THE
EAST ALONE.
THE EMERGENCE OF
REGIONAL POWERS
IS RAPIDLY
CHANGING THE
STRATEGIC
LANDSCAPE.
-9-
IN THE MIDDLE
EAST, IN SOUTH
ASIA, IN OUR OWN
HEMISPHERE, A
GROWING NUMBER OF
NATIONS ARE
ACQUIRING
ADVANCED AND
HIGHLY
DESTRUCTIVE
CAPABILITIES --
IN SOME CASES,
WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION, AND
THE MEANS TO
DELIVER THEM.
AND IT IS AN
UNFORTUNATE FACT
THAT THE WORLD
FACES INCREASING
THREATS FROM
ARMED
INSURGENCIES,
TERRORISTS, AND
(AS YOU IN THE
COAST GUARD ARE
WELL AWARE)
NARCOTICS
TRAFFICKERS --
AND, IN SOME
REGIONS, AN
UNHOLY ALLIANCE
OF ALL THREE.
OUR TASK IS
CLEAR: WE MUST
CURB THE
PROLIFERATION OF
ADVANCED
WEAPONRY; WE MUST
CHECK THE
AGGRESSIVE
AMBITIONS OF
RENEGADE REGIMES;
AND WE MUST
ENHANCE THE
ABILITY OF OUR
FRIENDS TO DEFEND
THEMSELVES.
WE HAVE NOT YET
MASTERED THIS
COMPLEX
CHALLENGE.
WE AND OUR ALLIES
MUST CONSTRUCT A
COMMON STRATEGY
FOR STABILITY IN
THE DEVELOPING
WORLD.
HOW WE AND
OUR ALLIES DEAL
WITH THESE
DIVERSE
CHALLENGES
DEPENDS ON HOW
WELL WE
UNDERSTAND THE
KEY ELEMENTS OF
DEFENSE STRATEGY.
LET ME FOCUS
TODAY ON TWO
POINTS IN
PARTICULAR.
-10-
0 FIRST, THE
NEED FOR AN
EFFECTIVE
DETERRENT, ONE
THAT DEMONSTRATES
TO OUR ALLIES AND
ADVERSARIES ALIKE
AMERICAN STRENGTH
AND RESOLVE;
0 SECOND, THE
NEED TO MAINTAIN
AN APPROACH TO
ARMS REDUCTION
THAT PROMOTES
STABILITY AT THE
LOWEST FEASIBLE
LEVEL OF
ARMAMENTS.
DETERRENCE IS
CENTRAL TO OUR
DEFENSE STRATEGY.
THE KEY TO
KEEPING THE PEACE
IS CONVINCING OUR
ADVERSARIES THAT
THE COST OF
AGGRESSION
AGAINST US OR OUR
ALLIES IS SIMPLY
UNACCEPTABLE.
IN TODAY'S
WORLD, NUCLEAR
FORCES ARE
ESSENTIAL TO
DETERRENCE.
OUR CHALLENGE IS
TO PROTECT THOSE
DETERRENT SYSTEMS
FROM ATTACK.
THAT'S WHY WE
WILL MOVE
PEACEKEEPER ICBMS
OUT OF FIXED AND
VULNERABLE
SILOS -- MAKING
THEM MOBILE AND
THUS HARDER TO
TARGET.
LOOKING TO
THE LONGER-TERM,
WE WILL ALSO
DEVELOP AND
DEPLOY A NEW
HIGHLY MOBILE
SINGLE-WARHEAD
MISSILE, THE
MIDGETMAN.
WITH ONLY MINUTES
OF WARNING, THESE
NEW MISSILES CAN
RELOCATE OUT OF
HARM'S WAY.
ANY ATTACK
AGAINST SYSTEMS
LIKE THESE WILL
FAIL. -11-
WE ARE ALSO
RESEARCHING --
AND WE ARE
COMMITTED TO
DEPLOY -- A MORE
COMPREHENSIVE
DEFENSIVE SYSTEM,
KNOWN AS SDI.
OUR PREMISE IS
STRAIGHT FORWARD:
DEFENSE AGAINST
INCOMING MISSILES
ENDANGERS NO
PERSON AND NO
COUNTRY.
WE'RE ALSO
WORKING TO REDUCE
THE THREAT WE
FACE -- BOTH
NUCLEAR AND
CONVENTIONAL.
THE INF TREATY
DEMONSTRATES THAT
WILLINGNESS.
IN ADDITION, IN
THE PAST DECADE,
NATO HAS
UNILATERALLY
REMOVED 2400
SHORTER-RANGE
THEATER WARHEADS.
BUT THEATER
NUCLEAR FORCES
CONTRIBUTE TO
STABILITY, NO
LESS THAN
STRATEGIC FORCES.
IT WOULD BE
IRRESPONSIBLE TO
DEPEND SOLELY ON
STRATEGIC NUCLEAR
FORCES TO DETER
CONFLICT IN
EUROPE.
THE
CONVENTIONAL
BALANCE IN EUROPE
IS JUST AS
IMPORTANT -- AND
IS LINKED TO --
THE NUCLEAR
BALANCE.
FOR MORE THAN 40
YEARS, THE WARSAW
PACT'S MASSIVE
ADVANTAGE IN
CONVENTIONAL
FORCES HAS CAST A
SHADOW OVER
EUROPE.
-12-
THE
UNILATERAL
REDUCTIONS
PRESIDENT
GORBACHEV HAS
PROMISED GIVE US
HOPE THAT WE CAN
NOW REDRESS THAT
IMBALANCE.
WE WELCOME THOSE
STEPS BECAUSE --
IF IMPLEMENTED --
THEY WILL HELP
REDUCE THE THREAT
OF SURPRISE
ATTACK.
AND THEY CONFIRM
WHAT WE'VE SAID
ALL ALONG: THAT
SOVIET MILITARY
POWER FAR EXCEEDS
THE LEVELS NEEDED
TO DEFEND THE
LEGITIMATE
SECURITY
INTERESTS OF THE
USSR.
AND WE MUST KEEP
IN MIND THAT
THESE REDUCTIONS
ALONE -- EVEN IF
IMPLEMENTED --
ARE NOT ENOUGH TO
ELIMINATE THE
SIGNIFICANT
NUMERICAL
SUPERIORITY THE
SOVIETS NOW
ENJOY.
THROUGH
NEGOTIATION, WE
CAN NOW TRANSFORM
THE MILITARY
LANDSCAPE OF
EUROPE.
THE ISSUES ARE
COMPLEX.
THE STAKES ARE
HIGH.
BUT THE SOVIETS
HAVE BEEN
FORTHCOMING, AND
WE HOPE TO
ACHIEVE THE
REDUCTIONS WE
SEEK.
LET ME
EMPHASIZE: OUR
AIM IS NOTHING
LESS THAN
REMOVING WAR AS
AN OPTION IN
EUROPE.
-13-
THE USSR HAS
SAID IT IS
WILLING TO
ABANDON ITS AGE-
OLD RELIANCE ON
OFFENSIVE
STRATEGY.
IT'S TIME TO
BEGIN.
THIS SHOULD MEAN
A SMALLER FORCE -
- ONE LESS
RELIANT ON THE
TANKS, ARTILLERY
AND PERSONNEL
CARRIERS THAT
PROVIDE THE
SOVIETS'
OFFENSIVE
STRIKING POWER.
A RESTRUCTURED
WARSAW PACT --
ONE THAT MIRRORS
THE DEFENSIVE
POSTURE OF NATO -
- WOULD MAKE
EUROPE AND THE
WORLD MORE
SECURE.
PEACE CAN
ALSO BE ENHANCED
BY MOVEMENT
TOWARD MORE
OPENNESS IN
MILITARY
ACTIVITIES.
TWO WEEKS AGO, I
PROPOSED AN "OPEN
SKIES"
INITIATIVE, TO
EXTEND THE
CONCEPT OF
OPENNESS.
THAT PLAN FOR
TERRITORIAL
OVERFLIGHTS WOULD
INCREASE OUR
MUTUAL SECURITY
AGAINST SUDDEN
AND THREATENING
MILITARY
ACTIVITIES.
IN THE SAME
SPIRIT, LET US
EXTEND THIS
OPENNESS TO
MILITARY
EXPENDITURES AS
WELL.
I CALL ON THE
SOVIETS TO DO AS
WE HAVE ALWAYS
DONE.
LET'S OPEN THE
LEDGERS.
PUBLISH AN
ACCURATE DEFENSE
BUDGET.
-14-
BUT AS WE
MOVE FORWARD WE
MUST ALSO BE
REALISTIC.
TRANSFORMATIONS
OF THIS MAGNITUDE
WILL NOT HAPPEN
OVERNIGHT.
IF WE ARE TO
REACH OUR GOALS,
A GREAT DEAL IS
REQUIRED OF US,
OUR ALLIES -- AND
OF THE SOVIET
UNION.
BUT WE CAN
SUCCEED.
I BEGAN TODAY
BY SPEAKING ABOUT
THE TRIUMPH OF A
PARTICULARLY
AMERICAN IDEAL:
FREEDOM.
I KNOW THERE ARE
THOSE WHO MAY
THINK THERE'S
SOMETHING
PRESUMPTUOUS
ABOUT THAT
CLAIM -- THOSE
WHO WILL THINK IT
BOASTFUL.
BUT IT'S NOT, FOR
ONE SIMPLE
REASON:
DEMOCRACY
ISN'T OUR
CREATION -- IT'S
OUR INHERITANCE.
WE CAN'T TAKE
CREDIT FOR
DEMOCRACY -- BUT
WE CAN TAKE THAT
PRECIOUS GIFT OF
FREEDOM, PRESERVE
IT AND PASS IT ON
-- AS MY
GENERATION DOES
TO YOU, AND YOU,
Too, WILL DO ONE
DAY.
AND PERHAPS --
PROVIDED WE SEIZE
THE OPPORTUNITIES
OPEN TO US -- WE
CAN HELP OTHERS
ATTAIN THE
FREEDOM WE
CHERISH.
-15-
AS I SAID ON
THE CAPITOL STEPS
THE DAY I TOOK
THIS OFFICE,
"THERE IS BUT ONE
JUST USE OF
POWER, AND IT IS
TO SERVE PEOPLE." "
AS YOUR COMMANDER
IN CHIEF, LET ME
CALL ON THIS
COAST GUARD CLASS
TO REAFFIRM WITH
ME THAT AMERICAN
POWER WILL REMAIN
ALWAYS IN SERVICE
TO THE ENDURING
IDEALS OF
DEMOCRACY AND
FREEDOM.
THANK YOU AND
GOD BLESS
AMERICA.
###
PRESIDENTIAL
REMARKS: COAST
GUARD ACADEMY
COMMENCEMENT
NEW LONDON,
CONNECTICUT
MAY 24, 1989
THANK YOU,
ADMIRAL.
[ACKNOWLEDGMENTS,
ADMIRAL YOST,
SECRETARY
SKINNER, ALEX
HALEY,
DISTINGUISHED
GUESTS.] I
CONGRATULATE EACH
MEMBER OF THIS
YEAR'S CLASS ON